Joseph Wheeler, PHD, ABPP

I was referred to Dr. Wheeler after being run over by a semi , which resulted in a concussion and physical issues. Looking back, I wish I had requested a different doctor because it appears Bronson's go-to dismissive response: “You’re fine. Brains heal in 3 months.” That mindset alone is incredibly damaging and dismissive. The testing process: I was crying because I could not remember things. Example: given a list of numbers, I could only remember the first two or three before everything disappeared from my mind. I struggled to remember pictures and other simple items during testing. It was humiliating and heartbreaking. When I met with Dr. Wheeler, the experience became far worse. Instead of listening, I felt like he was dismissive, and acted as though my concerns were insignificant. He told me I “passed with flying colors” and said I did not need therapy. All while I am actively suffering every single day. I was forgetting things constantly, losing my train of thought… mid-conversation, struggling to find words, mixing up words, dealing with constant headaches, noise sensitivity, balance issues, and numerous other symptoms associated with post-concussion syndrome. My entire life had been turned upside down. Yet I was basically being told nothing was wrong. I even asked if different things would help. Instead of encouraging hope, recovery, or further exploration of treatment options, he seemed determined to shut everything down. Then the appointment took an even more disturbing turn. He asked me if I had ever been wrongly abused. I answered honestly and said yes. He suddenly leaned forward with visible excitement and said, “Tell me about it.” The interaction felt incredibly inappropriate and uncomfortable. He then told me that my cognitive issues were because when someone experiences a new traumatic brain injury after prior trauma, it can create these kinds of symptoms. He gave it a named diagnosis. In other words, after having told me nothing was wrong and that I passed everything “with flying colors,” he was now essentially admitting I did have memory and cognitive issues! I explained that I do not view myself as a victim and that I have worked on criminal justice reform to help those who are falsely accused. I left that appointment devastated. I cried the entire drive home because I felt completely hopeless. I simply wanted help. I wanted my life back. Instead, I felt dismissed, belittled, and treated like my suffering was nothing. It honestly made me understand how people can spiral into despair and end things. Because post-concussion symptoms slowed my processing speed, it took time for me to fully realize how harmful the entire appointment had been. As the professional, he appears to not understand Post-concussion syndrome with a canned answer "Your brain heals in 3-months." As though persistent post-concussion syndrome either does not exist or should simply be ignored. When I was able to start processing, I determined that I was going to get help I need. When I told my Doctor about the devastating encounter, they said, "Sadly, you are not the first person who has said this." I sought a second opinion elsewhere. I was later properly diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome by professional. This appointment caused a major setback in my recovery and treatment. When I describe what happened, people often respond by saying, “That’s what defense paid neuropsychologists do.” The strange part is that, unless something was hidden from me or snuck in, he was not supposedly working for any defense side. Yet that is exactly how it felt. If you are dealing with a concussion, post-concussion syndrome, cognitive struggles, memory issues, or are simply looking for compassion and genuine medical support, I would strongly encourage you to seek care elsewhere. No patient should leave a medical appointment feeling hopeless, dismissed, or emotionally destroyed for simply trying to get help. When my Doctor left the area, they referred me to s